Powering 20,000 Homes: The World's Largest PV Solar Farm Opens

With an installed peak power capacity of 20 megawatts, world's largest photovoltaic solar power farm has opened in Spain. This farm surpasses the solar farm at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada which is rated at 14 megawatts. The new solar farm consists of 120,000 solar panels and covers 100 hectares (247 acres) in Jumilla, a wine-producing region in southern Spain, where the local Mayor says 300 days of sun a year are guaranteed. The farm's total annual production will be the equivalent of the energy used by 20,000 homes.

The solar panels are owned by groups of investors. It’s expected to generate an estimated annual income of $28 million (€19 million) and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 42,000 tons a year. Powerlight provided single-axis solar trackers to improve the system´s performance.

You may wonder about the environmental impact of this huge development. A local Spanish association called Juncellus, was called on to ensure high environmental criteria in the construction of the plant. They included replanting around the plant, water deposits for fires, drinking troughs for birds and other such details.

According to the figures given by the Spanish Minister of Industry, renewable energy currently accounts for around 7% of the total primary energy produced in Spain.

Via: Technology For Life